Shape of Yuri
by rinwee09
Summary: I think I need to do a series where characters dance to pop songs. In this one Yuri teaches a class with a surprise guest.


After the Grand Prix Final free skate, Yuri wanted nothing more than to return to Hasetsu, take a bath, and eat a pork cutlet bowl with Viktor under the kotatsu. However, Viktor had other plans. His sister was getting married, and since it was the off season anyway Yuri suggested he take some time and visit Russia after being away in Japan for so long. Yuri even offered to keep Maccachin for him.

"It's only two months, sheesh you'd think you two were married or something already," Minako bluntly told Yuri after dropping Viktor off at the airport.

"I know, Minako. I don't know what I'm going to do to fill the time, though. I guess I'll just help mom and dad around the hot spring," Yuri really didn't want to do that. It was a constant reminder of his off-ice failures. Namely graduating college with no job besides skating, and even that won't last forever.

"I've been thinking about that. Why don't you come teach at the studio? I've had a lot of new students sign up thanks to you, and I can't teach them all, you know," Minako pointed at Yuri to emphasize that he really had no choice.

"I'm not a good teacher, I can't do that," Yuri sighed.

"You can though. I saw those videos from two years ago, you can dance! All you need is a few glasses of champagne and you can teach a hip-hop class!" Minako was clearly getting very excited about this prospect. It would bring in more money for both of them, even if Yuri only taught a few times a week. But he definitely could not rely on liquid courage, he'd end up on a pole half naked in front of a room full of pre-teens.

Yuri sighed. "Alright, give me a day or two to think of something."

"Yes! Perfect! I already have a song in mind!" Minako took one hand off the steering wheel and picked up her phone from the cup holder. This made Yuri incredibly nervous.

"Please watch the road!" He yelled.

"We are the only ones on the road at 6am on a Tuesday, Yuri. I'm watching close enough," she said and tossed the phone back into the cup holder. "This is it." she said, turning up the volume on the stereo.

A heavy synth beat started pumping through the speakers and Yuri was reminded a little of Phichit's favorite Thai music.

"Is this..." Yuri strained to recognize the English words. "Is this Ed Sheeran?"

Minako nodded as she rolled her body and shrugged her shoulders in time with the beat.

"It's called Shape of You, isn't it great?!" She shouted over the music.

Yuri nodded. He loved Ed Sheeran when he lived in Detroit but moving back to Japan distanced him from Western pop culture much more than he thought. He closed his eyes and felt the music as deeply as he could.

When the song ended Yuri felt a longing for the type of relationship described in the lyrics of the song. He liked it, he felt inspired by it. His new Eros confidence made his hips want to move on their own and he found he wanted to hear it again.

"I'll do it Minako, I think I have enough Eros left," he smiled.

Weeks passed with no word from Viktor, though Yuri expected this. Yuri went on teaching his twice weekly class. He decided to start with a class of children and a slower number to some classical that he already knew from a class in Detroit before venturing into a hip-hop inspired routine for Shape of You. He had been practicing on his own, of course, and watching a million youtube videos for further inspiration. He just about had it perfect.

Yuri was impressed in himself with the level of confidence Viktor left behind in him. Teaching came easier to him than he expected, and he really loved his group of kids. He looked forward to it every week. He and Minako even teamed up for a class on Fridays with an older group of teens.

One Friday afternoon as that class was wrapping up and stretching, Minako stood in front of the class and clapped to get their attention.

"Alright guys, back when Yuri started teaching I had him listen to this song...I'm sure you've heard it, it's Shape of You by Ed Sheeran," she paused for the excited chatter from the girls in the room to calm down. "Yuri said that he would choreograph something for us and teach us. How do you feel about starting to learn his routine next week?"

Yuri's heart sank to the floor. He stood up from the bench at the back of the room and ran up to the front where Minako stood.

"Uh, Minako?" He said shyly. "I...I'm not ready for that yet, I don't think my routine is that good yet..."

Minako sighed, "Yuri doesn't think his routine is that GOOD, guys. What do you think?"

The room erupted in cheers, and Yuri's face burned at being put on the spot like this.

"Stop, I'm not ready to teach something new. Guys, stop..." but his voice was covered by the clapping and shouts of encouragement from the room.

Yuri squeezed his hands, but finally feeling the pressure and the fear turn into determination and courage, he resigned to the group. He put his hands above his head, as if surrendering, and shouted "FINE! I'LL DO IT!"

That next Friday at 5pm, Yuri stood in front of his usual class but felt very intimidated. Minako was in the first row of dancers, stretching and ready to learn.

"Alright, um, so this song is obviously very sexual, so I want you all to try and channel your inner Eros, right?" He knew they got the reference to his (now) infamous performances, everyone is Hasetsu was shocked by his own transformation. "I want to see everyone really loose, take your time with some of the movements, make them all your own. I don't want to see uniformity for this one. Ready?"

Forty minutes into their hour long class they were making great progress and had gotten through the first verse and chorus. Yuri was so impressed in fact, that he never even noticed an extra pupil in the back left corner of the classroom. He was tall, slender, and silver haired, so it was a shock to everyone Yuri didn't see him peeking above the rest of the class in the mirror.

"Yes!" Yuri shouted as they finished their last count of 8 perfectly. "Okay, so for the last twenty and for cool-down I want to break into groups. I think this is a good stopping point anyway."

The class broke apart and took seats around the edges of the room, Viktor still managing to remain unnoticed by Yuri. The entire class knew he was there, of course, Minako had helped set this up as Viktor's surprise return two weeks early.

Yuri hit play on the stereo remote and jumped in with the first group of the only two boys in the class. Body rolls, sweaty hair flips, and aggressive footwork all combined to make a hot dance that Yuri loved and was secretly really proud of. Their sharp movements were accented by shouts of praise from the other students, and their smooth movements were encouraged by "ooh"s. Yuri watched his group of shy boys behind him open up and follow his lead and by the end of their turn, they were all grinding like Magic Mike and smiling at themselves and the girls in the mirror.

Yuri kept dancing with the music for a few counts after their stopping point while the boys returned to their seats, laughing and smiling. Their own confidence boosted. Yuri was grinning too, happy he could have the same influence on others that Viktor had on him.

Minako joined the next group, moving like Yuri had never seen her move before. Sure, she was a dancer and could always have moved like this, in theory. But this wasn't graceful, polished ballet. This was raw, rough, and animalistic. It made Yuri grin at her the entire time she was dancing. Not in the way the song portrayed at all, in an admiring way. Yuri wished to have a fraction of the amount of self-love she was showing. Minako was a beautiful dancer, not matter what she did. Every part of her body moved together with the grace of ballet, but had her brash and loud personality in the way her feet kicked and her arms swung. She ended the count with an extra spin that flung her hair across her sweaty face. Yuri whistled and clapped as dramatically and loudly as he could.

"You're such a creep, Yuri!" She shouted, smacking his head on her way past him to her spot on the floor.

"I think I'm in LOVE Minako!" He shouted back, crawling along the floor after her. Yuri thought he might be drunk on the atmosphere in the room. Minako screamed and kicked his hands away from her ankles.

The next groups had their turns to show off, half to the song and half to shouting praise. When the last group was up, Yuri stood to further encourage them.

It still didn't completely register in Yuri's mind who he was looking at as the final student walked to the center of the room.

"Viktor?! VIKTOR?!" He yelled, pushing his sweat-soaked hair from his eyes. He laughed and ran the few steps that separated them. The class was clapping and whooping as Yuri launched himself into Viktor's arms, wrapping his legs around Viktor's waist in an embrace neither was expecting but neither wanted to end. Viktor laughed, and stumbled backward letting go of Yuri's legs. Yuri let go and instead took Viktor's face in his hands.

"Oh my God, Viktor? Why are you here, what about Russia, I wasn't expecting you at all, how did you-"

Minako interrupted, "He emailed me weeks ago, wanting to come back early to surprise you so...we arranged this. The whole class knew he was here!"

The class erupted in laughter again.

"Wait, you were HERE?! You were watching me teach?!" Yuri's face felt like it was sunburnt, hot and tight.

"I missed you so much Yuri but you clearly didn't miss me enough to see me in plain sight, how could you!?" Viktor feigned crying and turned away from Yuri.

"I'm so sorry! It's a big class, I can't even see everyone in the mirrors!" Yuri was on his knees, begging for forgiveness. "Please, Viktor, forgive me!"

"I will, if you do one thing for me."

"Anything!" Yuri stood back up, "within reason, of course, these guys aren't legal yet..." he whispered.

"Just dance with me."


End file.
